Improvement in casting copper tubes



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y Letterslatent No, 96,911, dated November i6, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN CASTING- COPPER TUBES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES F. GUTHRIE, of Somerville, in the county ofMiddlesex, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement iuCasting Copper Tubes, Jvc.; aud-I do hereby declare that thefellowing,-takeu in connection with the drawings which accompany andform part of this specification, is a description of my invention,sufficient to enable those skilled in the artto practise it.

' This invention relates, principally, to the manufacture of' coppertubes or cylinders, by the-process of casting in vert-ical moulds, theobject of the invention Y being to cheapen and perfect the process ofcasting,

and to. obtain thereby copper 'tubes equal, if not snperior, to such asare made by the processes now in use.

The invention is applicable to the manufacture of other than coppertubes, though intended principally for the 'production of thisparticular article of manu- The' improvementconsists in the employmentof a cast-iron ring or stay-piece, (technically known a hit,) to supportand centralize the core in position, with respect to the mould.

Also, in the application of a mouth-piece to the mould, in such mannerthat the molten metal shall' flow int-o the mould below the bit.

Also, in the combination with this construction of a means for dividingthe metal, as it is poured into the mouth-piece, and before it entersthe mould.

Patent No. 24,915 was granted to Freeborn Adams for an improvement incasting copper tubes, the profess therein described being practised withsome success, but not producing unilbrmly perfect castings. In saidprocess, a rotary mould is employed, and as it is not always practicableto effect, this rotation, my inventiou has particular reference to theconstruction o'f n stationary mould, though applicable, iu part, to a`rotary mould.

Patent No. 32,169, also,-wasgranted to said Adams, l1n u hich astationary mould isV employed, the molten metal being'poured in twostreams, at the top, and upon opposite sides of the mould; but, in myinvention,-I pour in upon one side only of the stationary mould, andthis `in'sueh way that the stream enters the mould below the bit, andisY divided before it reaches the mould,falling in two streams, whichmay, however, unite upon the opposite sides ot' the core.

Figure l shows a vertical section, and

Figure 2, top view of a vertical mould, embodying my invention.

yFigures 3 and-d shcw similar views ot' a rotary mould, embodying thatpart of the invention applicable. thereto.

a denotes the vertical mould.

b, thehollow core-tube.

1n this process of casting, as practised heretofore, this tube issustained in central position, with respect to the mould, by thinwrought metallic straps, made of hoop-iron, or of thin sheet-copper, andpassing around the core, with extensions at their opposite ends, fromthe core to the mould.

rPhe. flexibility of these straps, or stay-pieces, causes the core-tubeto be sometimes thrown out of centre, with respect to the mould,'thereby-producing a casting of uneven thickness.

Moreover, in pouring in the metal against such a bit, the action of thehot metal, and the llames and gases therefrom, tend to oxidize or meltthe material of the strap, and quickly destroy it', the particles beingcarried into the casting, and having. afterwards to be cut out.

Where a thin copper it Vis employed, the contact 'of the hot metal soonfuses and destroys it, the use of.

such copper-bits being thereby rendered', very expensive, and their wantof rigidity making them unreliable for theproper support of the core,and the production of castings of uniform thickness. I

Other disadvantages arise from Athe use of these ,thin straps,unnecessary/herein to specify.

I employ, instead thereof, Least-iron cylindric ring or bit, c, havingstruts or projections d, which supportthe ringvand core in position, therigidity of the metal keeping the core properly centred, under allcircumstances,

In pouring in the molten metal at the top of the mould, it frequentlyrises above the lower edge of the bit, and, with a wrought-iron bit,which cannot be remelted with-the scrap cut otf from the casting, it hasto be broken out in pieces, whereas the cast-iron b it can be easilydetached, without breaking or melting from the top of the casting.

In the stationary mould, however, I obviate the .necessity of pouringthe-'fluid in at the top, by the employment of a lat-eral mouth-piece orspout, e, so

arranged, in connection with the bit, that the ,molten metal, pouredinto the spout, enters the mould below.

the bit, and 'without contact, or material contact, therewith.

In combination with this mouth-piece, I place a projection or bar, f, inthe mouth-piece or spout, and just at or near the entrance of the spoutinto the, mould, in such manner as to divide the liquid stream, (beforeit reaches the mould, or strikes the core,) so that it Shall descendinto the mould in two distinct and scparate streams, neither of whichshall come into contact with the bit or-stay-piecc c.

-The core-tube is to be covered with moulders sand, and the mouth-piecemay be lined, and the pin f covered with plnmbago; but as neither ofthese things,

that I' make no claim to the subject or" either of such l patent-s, orto any device or devices described iu either l of' them, as my inventiondoes not involve the pouring of the Huid metal, in two or more streams,into the mould, on opposite sides thereoi into t le mould-nose or'spout,on one side oi' the mould,

an is there divided into two streams, which are caused ow into the mouldbelow the core-supporter, and

and I accomplish this by a. nose or spout, and and on one side in manneras described, each being essential to the other; and, therefore, l makeno claim to the arrangement of two current-dividers in the mouth of themould, as shown in the said Adamss for, when they are used,lthey produceythis 22d day of two currents, which drop into the mould on two op`posite sides of it, and simply spread laterally in opposite directions,v

have descended into the mould.

The spoilt renders it necessary to pour the metal in one current onlyinto the mould, and on one side o1' it only, and, by having the dividerin the spout, the two branches ofthe current are made to meet at theback, or opposite side of the desired is fully produced.

My linvent-ion saves the labor and ing, at once, from more than one potmould., Y.

I claimlhe combination and arrangement of the currentdivider j; withthel nose-piece or spout e, and the mould a. v

Also, the arrangement ot the curreut-dividerj; the spout e, thestay-piece c, the mould a, and the core b.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand,

April, A. D. 1865.

JAMES F. GUTHRIE.

expense of pouror ladleiutc the Witnesses:

p J. B. CROSBY,

F. GouLD.

towardone another, after they mayA

